Category: Asia

Phuket, the tourism magnet of Thailand, is entering the shutdown phase from Monday. Transportation to the island will be banned, and the lockdown will last for a month. Phuket Governor Pakkapong Taweepat has said boats, cars and trucks providing essential goods and services are exempted. Last week the government had imposed emergency rules and now the decision to enter the lockdown phase is a clear indication that the country is in a very cautious mode, as it fights the epidemic. About 56% of total employment in Phuket is in tourism-related industries, the Bank of Thailand said in a note. Thailand’s ... Read more

The initial signs of recovery are here. Right in China, the epicentre of the corona outbreak, many of the tourist sites are opening up. There is not too much of a rush anywhere, but airline ticket sales are open again. According to Yevgeny Glotov, the head of marketing at China Travel, carriers are already making plans for the coming months. “Yesterday there was news that all the hospitals, opened specially for the coronavirus, were closed in Wuhan. All patients have been discharged. Our partners also informed us that Hainan Airlines intends to resume flights on the Moscow-Beijing route at the ... Read more

Marriott International has announced an agreement to debut The Ritz-Carlton brand in the Maldives, with a 100-villa resort amid white sandy beaches. The property, to be called The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, is slated to open late 2020. The company signed the agreement with CPRC (Maldives) Private Limited, a member of Singapore-based Pontiac Land Group (“Pontiac Land”), which is developing the resort. “We are pleased to collaborate with Pontiac Land in bringing the Ritz-Carlton brand to one of the world’s most famous travel destinations,” said Paul Foskey, Chief Development Officer, Asia Pacific, Marriott International. “The development of The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, ... Read more

Indian-American hoteliers have come to the rescue of Indian students in the US. Many Indian students are left stranded following lockdown measures in the country, following the coronavirus pandemic. The hoteliers are providing a great help to these students by offering them free accommodation and meals. Many of the students have been asked to vacate their hostels and with India banning international flights for a week from March 22, more than 6,000 rooms in nearly 700 hotels were offered to them by Wednesday following a call from the Indian Embassy. The Indian Embassy have been running a round-the-clock helpline since ... Read more

The Nepal-India-China Expo (NICE) and Himalayan Travel Mart (HTM) have been postponed to next year, due to the spread of the corona virus and its growing impact on the tourism industry. These events were scheduled to take place from June 12-15 this year. These will now be held next year and the dates will be made known later.

All international airports in Sri Lanka will be closed for operation of inward international commercial passenger flights with effect from Thursday until March 25. The country’s civil aviation authority has said the decision was taken as per the instructions from Sri Lanka’s health authorities. The onslaught of the corona virus has hit Sri Lanka’s aviation industry hard, just like all countries globally. The statement will be reviewed by the Sri Lankan authorities at a later date.

Emerging tech summit to facilitate new business in the region SiGMA Group, the events company behind the Manila AIBC Summit, has announced the format for the event and what makes it stand out from the crowd. After three hugely successful AIBC Summits in Malta, Europe, the company has set its sights on the Asian market aiming to shape the future of emerging tech in the region and seed new opportunities for both local and Western companies. The inaugural Manila AIBC Summit will take place June 8th-9th 2020, bringing together key brands from the west and key players in the Asian ... Read more

India on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Malaysia, Philippines and Afghanistan into the country with immediate effect. In an additional travel advisory the government said no flight shall take off from these countries to India after 3 pm IST. The various airlines concerned should enforce this at the port of initial departure, the advisory said. This instruction is a temporary measure and will be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently. India has already banned the entry of passengers from EU countries, Turkey and the UK till March 31.

Malaysia has decided to ban all tourists and foreign visitors from March 18-31. Those passengers returning from overseas destinations must undergo health screening and self-quarantine for a period of 14 days.

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has unveiled an exciting new address showcasing the brand’s signature Swiss hospitality excellence in Vietnam. Mövenpick Resort Waverly Phu Quoc is the first international premium resort to open along Phu Quoc’s idyllic Ong Lang Beach, and is poised to become the destination of choice for family adventures, company trips, dream weddings, romantic honeymoons and more. The hotel features 305 guestrooms, while the adjacent Mövenpick Residences Phu Quoc offers 329 apartment-style residences and 79 pool villas, perfect for families or extended stays. “This opening represents an evolution of the Mövenpick brand in Vietnam, and we are delighted ... Read more

The global spread of the corona virus has hit Thailand tourism hard. Last year, the number of tourists who visited Thailand stood at 39 million, earning the country a revenue of more than $60 billion. According to a BBC report, out of the total number of tourists more than 10 million were Chinese. So when the virus hit China hard, Thailand felt the tremors. As more flights from China got cancelled, the Thai airports fell empty. Tourism contributes one-fifth of the country’s total economy, and with manufacturing and agriculture struggling, a hit on tourism was the last thing that Thailand ... Read more

Indians will not be able to avail the visa-on-arrival facility when visiting Thailand, for the time being. Thailand on Wednesday canceled the grant of visa-on-arrival for 18 countries including India and visa exemption for three others to contain the spread of the corona virus, the country’s interior minister said. Previously, nationals of 18 countries or territories could use their passports or travel documents to apply for Visa on Arrival (VoA) at Thai immigration checkpoints. The 18 places include Bulgaria, Bhutan, China (including Taiwan), Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, ... Read more

Qatar Airways has launched a new commercial policy to provide customers with maximum flexibility to suit their travel plans. Passengers who have booked or will book flights for travel up to June 30 this year, will be offered the flexibility to change their travel plans. They can alter their dates of booking or exchange their ticket for a travel voucher valid for one year. Both changes apply up to three days prior to departure. This commercial policy has been designed to provide Qatar Airways’ passengers with peace of mind when booking flights in light of COVID-19 and its impact on ... Read more

Marriott’s Aloft Hotel brand opens unit in Seminyak, Bali Aloft Hotels, Marriott International’s hotel brand for music enthusiasts and tech savvy travelers, has announced the opening of Aloft Bali Seminyak. Located in the heart of Seminyak, the new hotel features interactive urban spaces and brings to Bali a new social scene, as the first Aloft hotel to open on the island. Mike Fulkerson, vice-president (brand & marketing) Asia Pacific, at Marriott International said, “The new Aloft Bali Seminyak is set to own the stage as the hottest gathering hub for travelers visiting the area. From its bold design to live ... Read more

Tourists looking at alternative travel spots With honeymoon travelers looking to either cancel their vacations or postponing them to a safer period, shares of hospitality giants like Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott have all taken a tumble globally. Almost all couples who had picked on China as their honeymoon spot, have pulled out, due to the outbreak of the deadly corona virus. Even those flying into Thailand and Cambodia have stopped in their tracks to do a rethink. The other common honeymoon destinations like Bali in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Dubai have also been affected. Countries like Iran and South Korea, ... Read more